- Chelsea have completed the signing of 22-year-old France midfielder Oriane Jean-Francois
- She has previously represented Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain in her homeland
- She joins the WSL champions on a three-year deal with the option of a further year
Chelsea have completed the signing of promising young French midfielder Oriane Jean-Francois from Paris Saint-Germain.
The 22-year-old makes the move to London on a three-year contract with the option of a further year. She has spent the entirety of her senior career so far in the French capital, initially with Paris FC, where she signed her first professional contract.
In the summer of 2022, she joined PSG on a two-year deal and went on to win the Coupe de France. However, Jean-Francois suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in October last year during UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying and spent an extended period on the sidelines.
For France, the midfielder has represented her country at various youth levels and was part of the squad who claimed the Under-19 European Championship in 2019. Jean-Francois went on to make her senior debut in 2020 and she has registered five caps for the national team so far.
She told the club website: “It is a good moment for my career and the player I want to be. I’m very happy to sign here and I’m excited to start my journey.”
Chelsea’s general manager Paul Green added: “Oriane is a young, athletic defensive midfielder with good experience for her age. She has shown a great attitude and we are looking forward to seeing how she takes the next steps in her career whilst at the club.”
The WSL champions begin a new era this summer under new manager Sonia Bompastor - she joined from French side Lyon as Emma Hayes’ replacement. Prior to Jean-Francois’ arrival, the Blues had already strengthened with the additions of Julia Bartel from Barcelona and Sandy Baltimore from PSG.
